WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER?
Lung cancer is unlikely to produce symptoms until the disease is well established. When symptoms develop, they may occur from the lung tumor itself, from its effects on tissues outside the lung, or from the spread of malignant cells to other organs. Early Symptoms Early symptoms may include the following: • Frequent bouts of pneumonia or an episode that does not clear up in a normal period of time. • Coughing (particularly coughing up blood). • Weight loss. • Fever. • Shortness of breath. • Chest pain. Symptoms of Later Stages Later-stage symptoms include the following: • Shortness of breath from cancer that has spread to the pleura, the membrane covering the lung, is common. • In some cases, tumor growth or metastasis presses against the superior vena cava , a large vein that returns blood from the upper part of the body to the heart. When this happens, a condition called superior vena cava syndrome may occur, leading to obvious swelling in the upper extremities and face. • The cancer
